Just a Little Different
by SouthernStars
Summary: She'd smelt of fresh flowers and something just a little different since the day he had met her. He'd wondered if she’d taste the same a little more then fifteen minutes into their very first conversation. In response to ZA Angels writers challenge.


**DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'High School Musical' or any related characters. **

**A/N: So, I got this idea for a one-shot a little after reading Holly's category in the ZA Angels write-off, so I figured I could give it a go. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys it because I certainly enjoyed writing it!  
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_**Just a Little Different**_

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She'd smelt of fresh flowers and something just a little different since the day he had met her. He'd wondered if she'd taste the same a little more then fifteen minutes into their very first conversation. He'd realized he was going to kiss her two hours later when they were outside and snow was drifting down around them. She'd gone by the time he'd processed his realization, leaving him still wondering if she tasted as good as her scent smelt and why on earth he hadn't been able to follow through with his instinct to kiss her on midnight.

He'd still been wondering when she had shown up in class after winter break. For reasons which were unexplainable to him and anyone else, he hadn't been able to think of anything else since she had left him alone and in the cold that New Years Eve. So seeing her again, after he'd been certain he would probably be wondering for the rest of his life, had caused him to promise himself that one way or another he was going to find out whether or not she tasted as good as she smelled. A musical audition, rather confusing fight, championship, Scholastic Decathlon, musical callbacks and a best friend with bad timing later, Troy Bolton was beginning to wonder if the higher powers even _wanted_ him to find out if Gabriella Montez tasted as good as she smelt. There had been so many opportunities ever since she had showed up in his homeroom two weeks ago that Troy was seriously beginning to doubt that whatever had thrown them together in the first place wanted them together as something more then awkward friends.

Because he seriously doubted that they would put every possible roadblock in the way just to make sure that he knew what he had and appreciated it when he finally claimed her as his.

Even when they had been slow dancing at the after party, which he had thought would be the perfect time to kiss her, an obstacle in the shape of Taylor McKessie had managed to ruin the moment, which he had been sure had annoyed Gabriella as much as it had annoyed him, simply because she couldn't find Chad, who, incidentally, couldn't find Taylor. He'd had a second shot at the kiss when they had both found themselves in an empty kitchen, an amazing feat because the party was one of the biggest of the year, and right when he'd been close enough for her scent to wrap itself around him completely, Sharpay Evans had walked in and made a point of coughing loudly and, Troy was sure, in disgust at the sight of the two people who had beat out her and her brother for the leads in the school musical, just about to kiss. Though he wasn't sure whether it was out of jealousy for Gabriella's position, Sharpay had always had a crush on him, or bitterness at being beaten out by two amateurs. Either way, Troy didn't care and his annoyance at the higher powers had heightened as Gabriella had looked up at his with disappointed eyes and Sharpay had arched one eyebrow and attempted to shoo them out of the kitchen, an attempt they had both ignored completely.

Now, he was driving her back to her place, still wondering if she would taste the same way she smelt and with an urge to strangle something with a large, bushy amount of hair.

Glancing at Gabriella as he shifted gear, Troy wondered if she knew just what an effect she had on him and concluded she didn't when she turned her eyes to him, blushed when she found he was looking at her as well and looked quickly back out the window. He was well aware that her experience with boys was limited, she'd hinted at it when they'd been having a conversation up on the rooftop before their fight and knew that she had been more than embarrassed when he'd said he couldn't really remember how many girls he had kissed, though he had reassured her he wasn't a player and the only reason he couldn't remember was because he had participated in too many games of spin the bottle to actually have a good idea of the amount of girls he had kissed. Taking in a deep breath as he turned his eyes back to the road, he nearly let out a groan of longing when her scent of fresh flowers and something a little different assaulted his senses. Damn the higher powers to hell and back!

Seeing her street, Troy flicked on the blinkers and glanced back over at Gabriella who had begun shifting in her seat, almost as if she was uncomfortable.

"You okay?" He asked softly and was amused when she jumped as high as her seatbelt would allow her to.

"Yeah, just trying to get comfortable." She replied with a shy smile and Troy grinned back as he pulled up in front of her house and killed the engine.

"Don't get too comfortable, your home." He said and she glanced at the brightly lit house behind her and, much to Troy's surprise, seemed to deflate slightly. She turned back to him and Troy waited for her to speak as she plucked at the hem of her dress.

"Oh. Thanks." He rolled his eyes at her words and opened the door, he only caught a glimpse of her surprised face before he shut the door, walking around to the passenger side of the car, Troy opened her door for her and, shivering once as he adjusted to the cool air, offered her his hand.

"Come on Miss Popular." He said with a grin as she accepted his hand and he pulled her up and out of the car seat, pulling her close enough to him so he could feel her body heat and torturing himself when he caught another, stronger, whiff of her scent.

"I am not Miss Popular." She snapped at him playfully, grinning up at him as he shut the car door.

"Sure you're not. You had guys drooling over you and girls wanting to be around you through out that entire party." Troy pointed out good naturedly and Gabriella blushed at his words, shivering slightly as a cool breeze swirled around them.

"I did not. Everyone was just trying to be friendly, that's all." Gabriella said defensively as she shivered again. Troy laughed and let go of her hand to grasp the bottom of the jacket she wore, which was his jacket that she had stolen off him earlier in a rare display of audacity. Connecting the bottom section of his jacket, Troy zipped it all the way up, grinning slightly as it finished just below her nose.

"Sure everyone was being friendly." He agreed easily, feeling Gabriella shiver again as he deliberately brushed his knuckles across her skin and knowing it wasn't from the cold.

"Oh, don't use that tone. I feel like I'm five when you use it." She said and Troy knew she was kidding as he dropped his hand to hers again and began to dawdle with her up the path to her front door.

"Because you really act like your five Gabs," Troy sorted and grinned again when he felt her poke him.

"I can act younger than I actually am, Mr Bolton, you just haven't seen me act that way yet." The imperious tone made him chuckle as their pace slowed from a snails pace to a sloth's pace.

"Should I be worried when you do?" He asked leaning in a bit closer and catching a whiff of her hair, which had the same scent as her skin.

"No. Because you probably won't notice seeing as you act like you're five all the time." She said cheekily and Troy blinked at her in surprise at the confidence she had just displayed and then let out a good-natured chuckle.

"That would be Chad's influence." He muttered and heard her giggle, which in turn cause his grin to grown larger as they both walked up the stairs to her front door. Out of the corner of his eye, Troy saw the curtains to one of the windows shift to the side and swallowed a chuckle as he realized Gabriella's mother knew that they were standing there.

"Oh really? What a surprise." Gabriella said sarcastically and Troy just shrugged at her tone.

"You're moms watching us." He said conversationally and watched as Gabriella turned as red as the dress that was hidden by his white jacket.

"Sorry. She's not used to me coming home with a…" Gabriella trailed off and, Troy noted with some amusement, she seemed horrified at what she had been about to say. Which Troy could only guess meant that her reply had something to do with the fact that he had brought her home.

"It's cool. She probably was just worried about you." He saw her eyes brighten considerably at his words and wondered why they had such an effect on her when all he had done was save her the embarrassment of explaining herself.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Gabriella said and for a moment it was silent and Troy, instead of looking at the girl in front of him, glancing upwards towards the inky black sky. The breeze stirred again and Troy was once again assaulted with her smell. Taking it in, committing it to memory, Troy wondered how he hadn't exploded already from the wondering and wanting which he had endured for the past two weeks.

The silence stretched until Troy was sure they had been standing on her front porch for more than a few seconds. His certainty was confirmed when the porch light blinked on and off a few times and he realized that Gabriella's mother wanted her inside. Looking at her, Troy smiled gently as she looked up at him, for the very first time that night showing exhaustion.

"You should get inside." He said softly, reaching up and pushing a stray curl behind her ear. He felt his insides churn when she took a step closer to him and her scent wrapped itself around him.

"I know. Thanks for driving me home." She said quietly and Troy shrugged awkwardly, smiling at her despite his uncomfortable shrug.

"No problem. Thanks for singing with me." He nearly winced at his lame attempt to lighten the mood and was glad that she laughed at him.

"Anytime. Just don't complain to me when you don't want to sing anymore." She teased and Troy chuckled, nodding. They both fell silent for a moment and Troy once again glanced up at the night sky before he looked back at Gabriella.

Suddenly, with a jolt he managed to control, he realized how perfect the moment was to find out if she tasted as good as she smelt. There were no roadblocks and certainly no loud, obnoxious best friends and Troy took a deep breath.

"Hey Gabriella?" He asked softly and she looked up at him, seemingly surprised that he had spoken. Before he gave her a chance to reply, before any higher power could interfere with his now perfect moment, Troy closed the distance between them and caught her lips in a gentle kiss.

She relaxed into him. Sliding her hand up his chest as he shifted to be that little bit closer to her, the hand that wasn't holding hers firmly, settling itself on her waist as he held the kiss, not pushing or demanding anything more than she was willing to give.

"Was that my goodnight kiss?" Troy smiled at her breathless words when he pulled back, watching her as her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him shyly.

"It was our test-run. This is our goodnight kiss." He replied and pulled her into another kiss as the porch light once again blinked on and then off. Purposely, knowing that her mother was probably watching, Troy held the kiss a few seconds longer than the other one and pulled away reluctantly, knowing that if he stayed any longer he was going to break curfew.

"G'night Gabs." He said as she continued looking up at him.

"Night Troy." She whispered and Troy smiled at the disbelief in her voice. He didn't blame her for not believing that he had finally kissed her, instead he pressed a kiss to her forehead and let her go completely. Walking down the steps slowly, Troy suddenly thought of something, twisting around he saw her just about to open the door.

"Hey Gabs?" He asked and waited until she turned around. "What are you doing tomorrow night, say around seven?" He asked and waited patiently as she stared at him.

"Nothing. Why?" She asked and Troy nearly chuckled at how cute she looked confused, wondering how someone as smart as her couldn't understand what he was getting at.

"How does bowling and dinner sound?" Troy grinned as she blinked at him and he knew that she was processing the question.

"Like a date?" She asked cautiously and Troy nearly teased her about being the last to catch on and then thought better of it.

"Yeah. How about it, Montez?" He asked and watched as she once again turned the colour of her dress, her eyes looking at the ground shyly.

"I'd love too." She said it so quietly he had to strain to hear and then, before he had a chance to reply to her, she had flown down the steps pressed her lips to his again and was shutting the door behind her by the time he had realized what had happened.

Chuckling, Troy turned back around and headed for his car. As he walked, he ran his tongue over his lips once and caught her taste on his lips. She tasted much, much better than he had ever thought she would, there was no fresh flowers in the way she tasted. Instead, she tasted just a little different.

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**A/N: Well, there you have it! All done! I sort of liked it, it was a lot of fun to write! I hope all of you enjoyed it!**


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